Coturnix
(XLD-1 Pharaoh) Quail
| Coturnix Quail, also called Japanese Quail are very hearty and thrive in cages. They were domesticated in Japan in the 12th century. They have a very rapid metabolism, which means they grow and mature quickly. The quail pictured below are of the D-1 Pharaoh variety. In general, these birds mature in 6 weeks and are at full production in less than 8 weeks. Our breeders, which we hatched from eggs, started laying themselves when they were just 39 days old!! Their lifespan is from 1 to 2 years, and a quail hen can lay up to 300 eggs in a lifetime. | Males have rusty-brown
colored breast and throat feathering, while the females have light tan
feathering with fine black highlights. The male's face is also usually
much browner than the females. The three pictures of D-1 pairs below were
gathered from other websites and show clearly the difference between the
male and female. In each case, the male is on the right. I don't think
these photos are copyrighted, but if they are let us know and we'll either
give proper credit or remove them.
Incubation: Coturnix hatch in 17 days, last day of turning is day 14. Temp and humidity requirements are 99.5f° and 60% relative humidity for the first 14 days, and 99f° and 70% relative humidity the last three days. This is only slightly higher humidity than optimum for chicken eggs, but we've found these eggs hatch extremely well when incubated right along with chicken eggs. |
Some of our breeders. The two in front are females and the one at the upper right is a male. |
Our home-made quail breeder cages. Click here for construction details. |
Female Male |
Female Male |
Female Male |
Coturnix Quail eggs - A wide variety of color and markings. |
